Saif Ali Khan
 |
| Saif Ali Khan |
| Born | Sajid Ali Khan 16 August 1970 [1][2][3] New Delhi, India |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Actor, Producer |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Spouse(s) |
|
| Children | 2 |
| Parents |
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| Relatives |
|
Khan is son of the cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan and the actress Sharmila Tagore. Having made his acting debut in 1992 with Yash Chopra's Parampara, he had his first success with the 1994 films Main Khiladi Tu Anari and Yeh Dillagi. After going through several years of decline throughout the 1990s, Khan rose to prominence with his performance in Farhan Akhtar's Dil Chahta Hai (2001).[5] His work in Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003) won him the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor, and he was awarded the National Film Award for Best Actor for his performance in Hum Tum (2004). Khan had further mainstream success with films like Salaam Namaste (2005) and Race (2008). He also starred in critically acclaimed films such as Parineeta (2005), Being Cyrus and Omkara (2006).[6] In 2009, Khan branched out into film production with his company Illuminati Films, whose first release, Love Aaj Kal, was a success. These accomplishments have established him as one of the leading actors of Hindi cinema.[7]
In addition to film acting, Khan is also a stage performer. He was married to actress Amrita Singh for thirteen years; they have two children together. He married actress Kareena Kapoor in 2012.
Contents
- 1 Early life
- 2 Acting career
- 2.1 Early work, until 2000
- 2.2 2001–03
- 2.3 2004–08
- 2.4 Producer and other works, 2009–present
- 2.5 Upcoming Projects
- 3 Personal life
- 4 Other work
- 5 Controversies
- 6 Filmography
- 7 See also
- 8 References
- 9 External links
Early life
See also: Nawab of Pataudi
Khan was born on 16 August 1970 in New Delhi, India. He is the son of Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, a former captain of the Indian cricket team and the titular Nawab of Pataudi from 1952 until 1971, when the remuneration (privy purses) and privileges of the princes were abolished by the Government of India and official recognition of their titles was ended.[8] Khan is of Bengali Tagore ancestry on his mother's side,[8][9][10][11] His paternal grandfather, Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, eighth Nawab of Pataudi, played cricket for England and after 1947 for India as the captain of the team.[8] His paternal grandmother was Sajida Sultan, Begum of Bhopal and his paternal great-uncle was Sher Ali Khan Pataudi, who served in British Indian Army, and after moving to Pakistan, following the Partition of India, became a general in Pakistani army. Khan's mother is Sharmila Tagore (also called; Begum Ayesha Sultana), a film actress who converted to Islam before marriage to his father, and the head of the Indian film censorship board.[12] Khan has two sisters, one of which is actress Soha Ali Khan.[13]Khan studied at the Lawrence School, Sanawar[14] then in England at Lockers Park School, Hertfordshire, and Winchester College.
Acting career
Early work, until 2000
In 1993, he won the Filmfare Best Male Debut Award for Aashiq Awara. His breakthrough role came in 1994 with Yeh Dillagi opposite Akshay Kumar and Kajol which was his first major hit.[15] Khan went on to star in many films but they failed at the box office. He only had success with multi-starrer hits like Main Khiladi Tu Anari (1994), Imtihaan (1995),[16] Kachche Dhaage (1999) and Hum Saath-Saath Hain: We Stand United (1999).[17] After some box office failures he had a hit with the film Kya Kehna (2000).[18]2001–03
In 2001 he was cast in Farhan Akhtar's National Film Award-winning Dil Chahta Hai, co-starring Aamir Khan and Akshaye Khanna.[19] Depicting the routine life of affluent Indian youth, it is set in modern-day urban Mumbai and focuses on a major period of transition in the lives of three young friends. Despite receiving a positive critical reception, it was only a moderate box office success in India;[20] it performed well in the big cities but failed in the rural areas, which was attributed by critics to the urban-oriented lifestyle depicted in the movie.[21] He received much acclaim for his role as Sameer with critic Taran Adarsh calling it his career-best performance.[22]He has since had many box office successes, starting with Nikhil Advani's drama Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), alongside Shahrukh Khan and Preity Zinta. The film, set in New York, starred Saif as Rohit, Zinta's best friend, who later realises that he loves her.[23] The film was the second top-grossing film of the year, and Khan's performance was praised by critics. He won the Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award among others.
2004–08
To date, Khan's films have often featured him as the supporting cast, though following the success of Dil Chahta Hai and Kal Ho Naa Ho, producers began signing him on for the main lead.[24] In early 2004, Khan was approached by Sriram Raghavan to star as the globe-trotting bachelor, Karan Singh Rathod, in his directorial debut, Ek Hasina Thi. The film tells the story of a young woman (played by Urmila Matondkar) who meets with Khan's character, and is subsequently arrested for having links with the underworld. When Khan was initially offered the project, he was unable to do it due to his busy schedule.[24] However, when the director approached him several months later, he agreed to do the film.[24] Upon release, the film was critically embraced, with Khan's performing earning praise. The Deccan Herald reported, "From suave loverboy to self-serving skunk, he (Khan) moves with such brilliance that he leaves you breathless [...] He holds his own in a movie that is completely Urmila's."[25] For his performance, Khan received nominations at the Star Screen, Zee Cine and IIFA ceremonies.He followed it with the leading role in Kunal Kohli's romantic comedy Hum Tum. Featured opposite Rani Mukerji, the film follows the encounters of the two main characters until they, after several years and various meetings, become friends and finally fall in love. The film was received favourably by critics and became one of the year's most successful films, with a domestic box office of
210 million (US$3.3 million).[26]
Khan played the role of Karan Kapoor, a young cartoonist and womaniser
whose relationship with Rhea Prakash (played by Mukerji) changes his
perception of women and life. Rediff.com wrote about his performance: "Saif reprises his urbane self from Dil Chahta Hai and Kal Ho Naa Ho, peppering it with occasional fits of introspection and angst, and marking himself as an actor whose time has come."[27] He won the Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role and was conferred the coveted National Film Award for Best Actor in 2005 among much controversy.[28] It marked the beginning of his work with Yash Raj Films, one of the largest production houses in Bollywood.
Khan with Kareena Kapoor and Manish Malhotra
570 million (US$8.9 million) internationally.[32] Khan played the role of the egotistic, laid-back chef, Nikhil Arora. According to Khalid Mohamed, "Salaam Namaste
is unthinkable without Saif Ali Khan. He rescues several untidily
written scenes with his neat wit and that flustered
'how-did-I-get-into-this-soup?' facial expression."[33]He next played the protagonist in the English language art film, Being Cyrus (2006), co-starring alongside Naseeruddin Shah and Dimple Kapadia. Directed by debutant Homi Adajania, the psychological drama revolves around a dysfunctional Parsi family with who Khan's character moves into. The film received predominantly positive reviews, and Khan was particularly praised.[34] Later in the year, he portrayed the character of Iago in Omkara, the Indian adaptation of William Shakespeare's Othello. Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, the film is a tragedy of sexual jealousy set against the backdrop of the political system in Uttar Pradesh.[35] The film premiered at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival and was also selected for screening at the Cairo International Film Festival.[35][36] Omkara was embraced by critics and Khan went on to receive major acclaim earning the awards for Best Actor in a Negative Role at the Filmfare, Star Screen, Zee Cine and IIFA ceremonies; his performance was later included in the 2010 issue of the "Top 80 Iconic Performances" by Filmfare.[37] Variety described his performance as "powerhouse" and further wrote, "It is Khan's movie through and through, in a performance of rugged, contained malevolence which trades on his previous screen persona as a likable best friend as well as his stint as the manipulative outsider in Being Cyrus. It is smart casting, superbly realized."[38]
Khan with wife Kareena Kapoor Khan at the 53rd Filmfare Awards. Khan confirmed their relationship at the 2007 Lakme Fashion Week[39]
646 million (US$10 million) internationally.[32]Khan received further success in 2008, starring in the Abbas-Mustan thriller Race with an ensemble cast including Anil Kapoor, Akshaye Khanna, Bipasha Basu, Katrina Kaif and Sameera Reddy. The feature was loosely adapted from the 1998 American film Goodbye Lover, and became one of the biggest box office hits in India, earning
617 million (US$9.7 million)[44] and grossed over 200 million (US$3.1 million) abroad.[45] Critic Rajeev Masand from CNN-IBN wrote, "Of the cast, Saif Ali Khan stands out as the chap with the least dialogue but the one who makes the best impression."[46] This was followed by three projects produced by Yash Raj Films: Tashan, Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic and Roadside Romeo, all of which were not successful.[44]Producer and other works, 2009–present
2009 saw Khan branch out into film producing when he set up his own production company, Illuminati Films, along with Dinesh Vijan.[47] The company's first release was marked by the romantic comedy Love Aaj Kal. Directed by Imtiaz Ali, the film portrays the feeling of pure love which never changes over time, although the perspective of realising one's soulmate has changed. It received mostly positive reviews by critics and became one of the highest-grossing films of the year.[48] For his portrayal of Jai Vardhan Singh and the younger Veer Singh, Khan went on to receive several Best Actor nominations at a number of award ceremonies, including Filmfare. A review in The Economic Times described his performance as "refreshing natural" and "outstanding".[49] He then starred in the dramatic thriller Kurbaan, alongside Kareena Kapoor and Vivek Oberoi. Produced by Dharma Productions, the film marked the directorial debut of Rensil D'Silva and featured Khan in the role of a terrorist. Upon release, Kurbaan was received favourably by critics and Khan's performance was critically acclaimed. Critic Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama wrote: "Saif is extraordinary in a role that only proves his versatility once again. If he won your heart with a winning performance in Love Aaj Kal a few months ago, you need to watch this supremely talented actor underplay his part so beautifully in Kurbaan.[50]In 2011, he appeared in Prakash Jha's multi-starrer drama Aarakshan. Set in the city of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, the film deals with the policy of caste-based reservations in government jobs and educational institutions.[51] Khan portrayed the character of Deepak Kumar, a rebellious student who joins the mafia. To prepare for the role, Khan was required to take acting workshops along with the rest of the cast.[52] Prior to its release, the film was banned from releasing in select cities across India due to its controversial subject.[51] While the film received a mixed critical reaction, his performance was generally well received.[53] The following year, Khan collaborated once again with director Sriram Raghavan, as the protagonist in the action thriller Agent Vinod. The film, which was produced under his own banner, opened to mixed reviews and eventually under-performed at the box office.[54]
By May 2012, Khan completed working on Cocktail, a romantic comedy directed by Homi Adjania.[55] Co-starring alongside Deepika Padukone and Diana Penty.The film became a hit with collecting 920 million. As at February 2013, Race 2, in which he is the protagonist, was declared a box office semi-hit. It eventually crossed the
1 billion (US$16 million) mark; collecting 1042 million (US$16 million). He recently starred in his fourth home production Go Goa Gone, which is the first zombie horror comedy ever produced in Bollywood.Saif Ali Khan has recently been signed on by Oxemberg, part of the Siyaram Silk Mills Ltd, as their brand ambassador.[56] He has also been signed as the brand ambassador for Siyaram's Shirtings and Suitings partnering with M.S.Dhoni.[57]
In 2014 he appeared in Sajid Khan’s Humshakals.
Upcoming Projects
Khan has multiple projects in production stages. He has completed work on his own production film Happy Ending alongside Ileana D'Cruz, Kalki Koechlin and Govinda. He is currently filming for Kabir Khan's post 26/11 counter-terrorism drama Phantom with Katrina Kaif.[58] and Reema Kagti's Mr.Chaalu opposite Kangana Ranaut and Richa Chadda.[59] He has also roped in Parineeti Chopra opposite him in his next production.[60]Personal life
Khan at his "pagri" ceremony.
After his divorce, he dated Rosa Catalano, a Swiss model born in Italy, whom he met in Kenya, for three years. Catalano later revealed that he had not told her about his earlier marriage and children, and that she learnt about them only after she came to India.[63] They were later said to be considering marriage,[64] but then broke up.[65][66][67][68]
On 18 February 2007, Khan was admitted to Lilavati Hospital, Mumbai due to chest pain while rehearsing for his performance at the Stardust Awards, to be held that night.[69] After being discharged from the hospital, he stated he would quit smoking.[70]
Khan had been dating actress Kareena Kapoor since October 2007. Kareena is 10 years younger to him.[71][72] In October 2009 he publicly spoke of his relationship with Kapoor and the prospect of marriage stating, that in his opinion people said that marriage does not affect one's career but in fact it does and that today the whole definition of marriage has changed. He said, that he and Kareena were so well connected, so close that marriage is just a stamp of validation for the society.[73] Saif and Kareena got married in court on 16 October 2012.
On 22 September 2011 Khan's father Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi passed away.[74] To please the sentiments of some residents of the village of Pataudi, a "pagri" ceremony was held which symbolically installed him as the tenth Nawab of Pataudi; however, the princely title has had no official recognition since 1971.[75] The 'pagri' ceremony was attended by the incumbent Chief Minister of Haryana.[75]
Other work
In 2005, along with other Bollywood stars, Khan performed at the HELP! Telethon Concert to help raise money for the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.[76]Khan took part in two major world tours. He was part of a troupe that included Shahrukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Preity Zinta, Arjun Rampal and Priyanka Chopra, which went on the Temptations 2004 world tour.[77] Two years later, he toured again, participating and performing in the Heat 2006 concert around the world, along with Akshay Kumar, Preity Zinta, Sushmita Sen and Celina Jaitley.[78]
In 2006, Khan appeared along with various other Bollywood actors at the Closing Ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, as part of a performance showcasing Indian culture along with Rani Mukerji, and Aishwarya Rai on behalf of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, held in Delhi.[79]
Controversies
 |
This article's Criticism or Controversy section may compromise the article's neutral point of view of the subject. (October 2013) |
In 2008, Khan was also involved in assaulting a photographer, Pawan Sharma, while filming Love Aaj Kal at Patiala railway station.[83][84]
In 2012, Khan was dining with his friends, including Kareena Kapoor and Amrita Arora, at the Wasabi restaurant in Taj, Mumbai and making a din and was repeatedly requested by the restaurant management to be quieter. Khan then allegedly assaulted the complainants, Iqbal Sharma, a businessman, who suffered a fractured nose, and an elderly man.[83][85][86][87][88] Khan was arrested under section 325 of the Indian Penal Code, and released on bail on a surety of
3000 (US$47) by the Mumbai Police. Khan claimed it was an act of self-defence and filed a case levelling counter allegations.[89][90] However, the police refused to register Saif's case since he could not produce any evidence.[91]The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is investigating him in an alleged Hawala transactions case. The ED suspects that Saif Ali Khan illegally purchased a high-end car in 2004 through Hawala, a system allegedly in violation of Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).[92]
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Actor | Producer | Cameo | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Parampara | Pratap Singh | Yes | [93] | ||
| 1993 | Aashiq Awara | Jimmy / Rakesh Rajpal | Yes | [94] | ||
| 1993 | Pehchaan | Karan | Yes | [95] | ||
| 1994 | Imtihaan | Vicky | Yes | [96] | ||
| 1994 | Yeh Dillagi | Vikram "Vicky" Saigal | Yes | [97] | ||
| 1994 | Main Khiladi Tu Anari | Deepak Kumar | Yes | [98] | ||
| 1994 | Yaar Gaddar | Jai Verma | Yes | [99] | ||
| 1994 | Aao Pyaar Karen | Raja | Yes | [100] | ||
| 1995 | Surakshaa | Amar / Prince Vijay | Yes | [101] | ||
| 1996 | Ek Tha Raja | Sunny | Yes | [102] | ||
| 1996 | Bambai Ka Babu | Vikram "Vicky" | Yes | [103] | ||
| 1996 | Tu Chor Main Sipahi | Raja / King | Yes | |||
| 1996 | Dil Tera Diwana | Ravi Kumar | Yes | [104] | ||
| 1997 | Hamesha | Raja / Raju | Yes | |||
| 1997 | Udaan | Raja | Yes | |||
| 1998 | Keemat: They Are Back | Ajay | Yes | [105] | ||
| 1998 | Humse Badhkar Kaun | Sunny | Yes | [106] | ||
| 1999 | Yeh Hai Mumbai Meri Jaan | Raju Tarachand | Yes | [107] | ||
| 1999 | Kachche Dhaage | Dhananjay "Jai" Pandit | Yes | [108] | ||
| 1999 | Aarzoo | Amar | Yes | [109] | ||
| 1999 | Biwi No.1 | Deepak | Yes | [110] | ||
| 1999 | Hum Saath-Saath Hain: We Stand United | Vinod | Yes | [111] | ||
| 2000 | Sanam Teri Kasam | Vijay Verma | Yes | [112] | ||
| 2000 | Kya Kehna | Rahul Modi | Yes | [113] | ||
| 2001 | Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega | Prakash | Yes | [114] | ||
| 2001 | Dil Chahta Hai | Sameer | Yes | [115] | ||
| 2001 | Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein | Rajiv "Sam" Saamra | Yes | [116] | ||
| 2002 | Na Tum Jaano Na Hum | Akshay | Yes | [117] | ||
| 2003 | Darna Mana Hai | Anil Manchandani | Yes | [118] | ||
| 2003 | Kal Ho Naa Ho | Rohit Patel | Yes | [119] | ||
| 2003 | LOC Kargil | Capt. Anuj Nayyar | Yes | [120] | ||
| 2004 | Ek Hasina Thi | Karan Singh Rathod | Yes | [121] | ||
| 2004 | Hum Tum | Karan Kapoor | Yes | [122] | ||
| 2005 | Parineeta | Shekhar Rai | Yes | [123] | ||
| 2005 | Salaam Namaste | Nikhil "Nick" Arora | Yes | [124] | ||
| 2006 | Being Cyrus | Cyrus Mistry / Xerxes | Yes | [125] | ||
| 2006 | Omkara | Ishwar "Langda" Tyagi | Yes | [126] | ||
| 2007 | Eklavya: The Royal Guard | Harshvardhan | Yes | [127] | ||
| 2007 | Nehlle Pe Dehlla | Jimmy | Yes | [128] | ||
| 2007 | Ta Ra Rum Pum | Rajveer "RV" Singh | Yes | [129] | ||
| 2007 | Om Shanti Om | in song Deewangi Deewangi | Yes | Yes | [130] | |
| 2008 | Race | Ranvir "Ronnie" Singh | Yes | [131] | ||
| 2008 | Tashan | Jimmy Cliff | Yes | [132] | ||
| 2008 | Woodstock Villa | Himself | Yes | Yes | ||
| 2008 | Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic | Ranbeer Talwar | Yes | [133] | ||
| 2008 | Roadside Romeo | Romeo (voice) | No | [134] | ||
| 2009 | Love Aaj Kal | Jai Vardhan Singh / Young Veer Singh |
Yes | Yes | [135] | |
| 2009 | Kurbaan | Ehsaan Khan / Khalid | Yes | [136] | ||
| 2011 | Aarakshan | Deepak Kumar | Yes | [137] | ||
| 2012 | Agent Vinod | Agent Vinod | Yes | Yes | [138] | |
| 2012 | Cocktail | Gautam "Gutlu" Kapoor | Yes | Yes | [139] | |
| 2013 | Race 2 | Ranvir "Ronnie" Singh | Yes | [140] | ||
| 2013 | Bombay Talkies | Special appearance in song "Apna Bombay Talkies" | Yes | Yes | ||
| 2013 | Go Goa Gone | Boris | Yes | Yes | [141] | |
| 2013 | Bullett Raja | Raja Mishra | Yes | [142] | ||
| 2014 | Humshakals | Ashok | Yes | [143] | ||
| 2014 | Lekar Hum Deewana Dil | Yes | [144] | |||
| 2014 | Happy Ending | Yudi Jaitely/ Yogi | Yes | Yes |
